We Cannot Be Happy: The Intricate and Complicated Economic and Socal Labyrinth in which Venezuela is Trapped

An
ordinary
Venezuelan citizen briefly relates the hard and difficult economic
and social situation that Venezuela is going through, as well as the
incoherent, confused and irrational behavior that his compatriots
have adopted in trying to survive in a country with growing poverty,
blocked internationally and lacking in tranquility, well-being and
happiness.

Introduction:The
economic,
political and social crisis in Venezuela is a real maze. Today there
are millions of Venezuelans living in extreme poverty and millions
have left the country, looking for better living conditions. It is a
country with deep contradictions, it has immense mineral resources
and the largest oil reserves in the world, but the lower social class
is on the rise and in conditions of extreme misery and the middle
class rapidly loses quality of life and is pushed into poverty.
Meanwhile the upper class is enriched by numerous and billionaire
corruption businesses, with the elite that governs the country. It is
difficult to understand how a country can suffer from so much
political and social imbalances and still has not succumbed in a
civil war. But traditional economic and political analysis alone is
not enough to understand the strange, irrational and absurd reality
of Venezuela. All this has generated a deep emotional fracture in
millions of Venezuelan families, creating an intensely sore society
with growing hopelessness about the future. It is necessary to
include in the equation the human aspect, that is, the behavior of
the Venezuelan, since it is a fundamental element to understand the
origin of all this unfortunate combination of problems, which are
leading the country to the catastrophe.

Venezuela
is a
country of deep contradictions, has wide natural resources such as
iron, bauxite, gold, coal, diamonds, nickel, copper, natural gas and
also has world's largest oil reserves (310,000 million barrels). But
this wealth contrasts with: a) The official inflation rate for the
year 2019 was 3,654,129,640.0% (2018: 18,265,146.5%; 2017: 27,896.8%;
2016: 5,184.1%; 2015: 1,460.5% and 2014: 658,7%); b) The minimum
monthly salary of 70% of workers, as well as the monthly social
security pension for retirees, are equivalent to 3 dollars; c) The
International Reserves of the country (7,562 million dollars at
November 2019) hardly represent 5.0% of the total external debt; d)
UNICEF estimates that 3.2 million children require urgent
humanitarian assistance due to severe food shortages and poor access
to medical assistance, food, water and education; e) The UN has
estimated to require almost 300 million dollars to provide immediate
humanitarian assistance to 70% of the population, who currently do
not have sufficient income to cover basic food and medication needs;
f) The EU will allocate 111 million Euros in 2020 to alleviate the
humanitarian crisis of Venezuelans; g) The International Monetary
Fund, in a July 2019 report, foresees that by the end of 2019 the
country's economy will have an additional contraction of 35%, thus
increasing the humanitarian crisis and its devastating impact; h)
According to The Economist, 82% of venezuelan households live in
critical poverty; i) Venezuela is the second country in Latin America
(after Cuba) with the largest number of political prisoners (869),
but is the first to censor, shut down or ban newspapers and other
media, for spreading anti-government news and opinions.

This
briefly describes the deep economic and social crisis in Venezuela,
which represents a collapse that amply overcomes many notable
disasters in recent years, including: the Zimbabwe crisis under the
presidency of Robert Mugabe, the fall of the Soviet Union, and Cuba's
economic catastrophe (in the 1990s). There is international consensus
that the collapse of the Venezuelan economy, represents the greatest
economic disaster
that has occurred in a country without war in the last 50 years. The
economists of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), estimate that
similar levels of economic devastation as that currently shown by
Venezuela, are only comparable to countries collapsed by wars, such
as Libya (at the beginning of this decade), or Lebanon (in the
seventies). The words of Kenneth Rogoff, professor of economics at
Harvard University and former Chief Economist of the IMF, illustrate
this extreme
situation:
"It
is hard to think of a human tragedy of this magnitude that is not the
product of a civil war... This may be the most outstanding example of
disastrous policies in decades".The
effects of this
dramatic crisis are already evident in Latin America. The UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), considers that the migratory
crisis in Venezuela is the largest and most problematic in Latin
American history, estimating that since 2015 approximately 4 million
Venezuelans have fled the economic and political crisis in their
country, and it by the end of 2019, the number will rise to 5
million people. This "alarming" figure, according to the
organization, highlights the urgent need to support countries
receiving Venezuelan migrants in South America. According to this
Institution, the Venezuelan crisis is one of the greatest emergencies
in terms of human displacement in the world.

Altered
Behavior:The
deep economic
and social crisis that Venezuela is going through is intensely
affecting the behavior and social interaction of a large part of the
population. The extreme economic situation is generating a precarious
and misery situation for a large number of Venezuelan families.
Discouragement, sadness, pessimism and despair are the common
feelings of Venezuelans. The population shows absolute disappointment
and rejection by a government that, despite claiming to be socialist,
with its disastrous economic measures has caused a deep economic
collapse that mainly affects the middle and lower social classes.

This
extreme economic situation is marked by an intense hyperinflationary
process, which has devastated the finances of the families, has
caused an intense decrease in the purchase of food, medicine and
other essential products, all of which has had a catastrophic effect
on the welfare of the population by the dissatisfaction of
fundamental needs for human beings. This reaction or adaptation to
adversity could be explained as a variant of Charles Darwin's Theory
of the Evolution of Species. In the case of Venezuela, the theory
could be called this way: Theory
of
Social Evolution in the Economic Crisis,
and its fundamental postulate would be: “In
societies that suffer severe economic crises, individuals who do not
have large incomes will survive only if they can minimize the
consumption of essential products and servicese, even if this
involves risking the health and well-being of their family group”.
The elements of similarity with Darwin's Theory would be: a)
Condition that drives evolution or change: The economic crisis; b)
Species subject to change: The families; c) Adaptation mechanism:
Reduction of the consumption of essential products; d) Consequences:
Extreme welfare decline. Although this is obviously irrational from a
scientific point of view, it is the most accurate description of the
behaviour adopted by a large part of the population due to the crisis
suffered by this country.

Many
think that
among the lessons that can be derived from this profound economic,
social and political crisis, is the opportunity or need to review,
shape and adapt the behavior and structure of Venezuelan society, due
to the large number of errors and improper behaviors that they have
eroded the courage and morale of the instances of political power. A
fundamental fact is that government management has impaired social
cohesion in Venezuela, due to the inadequate, erroneous and
incongruous economic policies, that in the last twenty years have
dismantled material progress and reversed the mobility of the middle
and lower social classes. These situations, in addition to widespread
corruption, undue concentration of wealth in few hands and the
limited education that reflects much of the population, have
generated hopelessness and pessimism in society and the loss of
appreciation for the fair value of work and the effort. The effects
of hyperinflation have pulverized the capital saved and the income of
families, so that the support and purchasing power of wages and
pensions is almost non-existent. Faced with inaction or proven
inability of the government to solve the problems, it is a huge task
for any worker or pensioner to survive while maintaining a minimum of
well-being and satisfaction of needs. This creates the moral dilemma
of continuing to work for a ridiculous salary that does not calm
hunger, or do anything to get the money needed to survive.

Another
disadvantageous condition facing the country is the lack of
innovation, updating or modernization of the education system,
especially at the primary and secondary levels. This results in
students being poorly trained, uneducated and unable to develop basic
skills or aptitudes or competencies for adult life. In relation to
this, the Maduro government, in order to show significant figures of
literacy and schooling, has modified the evaluation system of
students in schools by eliminating grade exams, demanding that
teachers only assign positive appreciative grades so that all
Students pass the degree automatically. This incredible, unusual,
absurd and crazy procedure (unique in the world), is generating a
large mass of elementary and secondary students practically
illiterate, uneducated and without any training. Similarly, the
recurrent and intense lack of resources to finance research in
universities, negatively affects the training capacity and the
development of effective and competitive educational processes at
this level of professional training. Therefore, a large number of
professors and professionals emigrate to other countries in search of
better opportunities, which generates increasing shortages of human
talent, with negative consequences in the development of any economic
or social activity.

It
is important to
point out that the moral devaluation of many citizens has been so
intense that it has caused corruption to spread to almost all of
society, to the point that many unscrupulous people do not debate
morally between good and evil, since they seem willing to do anything
to earn money, whether licit or not.

Strange
Reality:Unfortunately
in
Venezuelan the economic and social condition has worsened so
significantly in recent years, that a large part of the population
believes that only a miracle can solve this crisis. Social behaviour
reflects a metamorphosis in the appreciation of everyday events. The
current reality facing Venezuelan society seems fictional, since
events that were unthinkable or irregular in the past, are now
accepted as normal. In contrast to this, situations that used to be
normal are now non-existent or uncommon, becoming rare or strange
events. In this context of crisis, alarming, irrational and unusual
events are appreciated, which reflect an abnormal, contradictory,
incoherent and unusual social behavior. Among these situations, the
following can be highlighted:

In practice, the government does not recognize
freedom of expression as a human right. In the last three years it has
banned the activity of 70 media (traditional and digital newspapers,
radio and television stations) that have expressed criticism and
opinions contrary to the regime. It has also banned access to the
Internet signal from a large number of foreign media and news. For this
reason, the population has become accustomed to the fact that most of
the media do not criticize the government, nor report situations that
could identify political, economic or social problems.

In the last
three years, the number of patients who die due to lack of medicines or
medical attention in hospitals, has increased in great proportions
which has caused the country to have the highest mortality rate in the
entire American continent. Endemic diseases that had been overcome
before the end of the 20th century, such as: Malaria, Dengue, Chagas
and Measles, have reappeared with remarkable intensity. This is a
consequence of the poor public health policy, the recurrent budget
deficit allocated to hospitals, as well as the lack of production and
importation of medicines and vaccines. This evident humanitarian crisis
contrasts with the fact that professional baseball, soccer and
basketball championships continue to be developed in the country, to
which the government assigns subsidies, as well as tax incentives.

Venezuela is among the ten countries in the world
with the highest per capita alcohol consumption, and worldwide it
reflects the highest mortality rate associated with alcoholism.

The only country in the world where gasoline is
free is Venezuela, because the government for more than two years, has
maintained its value at 0.00001 bolivars per liter, which is equivalent
to $ 0.000000001389 dollars. This unusual and inexplicable fact coupled
with the notable decrease in oil production and refining in the last
three years, has forced the government to import gasoline and reduce
supply to the domestic market. Only in Caracas the regular supply of
gasoline is maintained, but in other cities and towns, motorists must
wait in long lines, between six and eight hours, to buy limited amounts
of fuel, which they must pay in dollars at the price that subjectively
and speculatively decide the employees or owners of the service
stations. Therefore it could be said that gasoline is free in Caracas,
but in the other cities of the country, it is the most expensive in the
world.

Even though the country has the third largest
hydroelectric power plant in the world (after the “Three Gorges” dams
in China, and “Itaipu” between Brazil and Paraguay) the lack of
investment in maintenance, replacement and updating of the generating
turbines, it is so significant that for three years the country has
suffered from recurrent power cuts. For this reason, the government has
reduced the daily workday in offices and public companies to five hours
and has established electricity and water rationing that can be six
hours or less per day, in most of the country's cities. In March of
2019 the situation worsened to such an extent that the country suffered
a total electric outage, which lasted seven days (being the longest and
most intense in Latin American history). Since that date, blackouts and
consequent failures in water supply throughout the country have
intensified.

The lack of natural gas production and frequent
power cuts have caused many families living in the interior of the
country to have to cook with firewood. This is also generating
environmental problems due to air pollution and deforestation of parks
and forests.

Venezuela is one of the countries with the largest
water resources in the world, with constant freshwater flows equivalent
to 990 cubic kilometers per year. But the lack of planning and
disinvestment in maintenance, expansion and construction of new
aqueducts and pumping and water treatment plants, has caused that for
five years there has not been a constant supply of water to the main
cities of the country (40% of the population has no access to water).
Recurrent rationing programs are applied that on average limit water
supply to less than eight hours a day. But in some cities of the
country it is already a normal fact that water is only supplied for two
or three days per week.

Hyperinflation means that the number of notes in
circulation is insufficient to cover the volume of transactions that
require the use of cash. Public and private banks limit the amount of
cash that customers can withdraw daily from their cash registers, and
close their doors when their vaults run out of banknotes, so it is
common for bank branches to remain closed for several days and for most
ATMs not to operate. Additionally, banking services are paralyzed by
frequent blackouts and power cuts, which makes it extremely difficult
to make transactions with electronic payment methods (such as debit
cards, credit cards and money transfers).

The economic basis of the tax system is implicitly
unfair to consumers, since the income tax paid by companies is
considered an operating cost to determine the prices of products or
services offered to consumers. Under this scheme, consumers not only
pay their income tax as taxpayers, but when they acquire products or
services, they indirectly assume corporate taxes.

A collective phobia has been generated against the
salary increases ordered by the government, since each time this
measure is implemented, greater inflation and unemployment are
generated, as the production costs of the companies increase and the
sales are contracted.

Hyperinflation and the devastating purchasing power
of salaries mean that 70% of the population cannot feed themselves
properly or acquire the necessary medicines to treat diseases. On the
other hand, more than half of families cannot buy, replace or repair
essential goods, such as appliances, computers or vehicles, because
household financial income is insufficient for this. Buying clothes and
shoes has become a luxury that only 10% of the population can enjoy
(upper class).

The majority of the population constantly complains
about the inefficiency, inability and irresponsibility of the
government to solve the serious economic, social and public health
problems facing the country. However, the percentage of abstention in
the general and regional elections, that have been held in the last ten
years has increased to almost 60%; what denotes an absurd combination
of disenchantment, incoherence and citizen irresponsibility.

Money savings are non-existent since banks pay 12%
per year for deposits, but monthly inflation exceeds 400%. Therefore,
the banking activity has been completely unconfigured, since banks have
dedicated themselves to offering electronic payment services to their
customers, so that people keep deposits in the banking system solely
for that purpose.

Even though it is a very religious country, the
Catholic Church has played a regrettable and limited role in this
economic and social crisis. Priests, bishops and other Catholic
leaders, stand in solidarity with the poor, but only talking about them
and the extreme situation they face. However, they do not materialize
tangible actions to help the poor and homeless, for example, by
providing shelter in their churches to the large number of people in
misery. It is an unlikely event to see a Catholic priest visiting a
hospital to consulate sick people, nor is it possible to see them
touring cities and towns to distribute food or medicine to the needy or
homeless. All meetings or special sessions held by bishops and
monsignors, to address the country's problems, are always held in
churches located in high class areas; therefore, poor people living in
lower-class neighborhoods have no right to participate in these events.

It is a recurring practice for the government to
press public employees to attend marches and demonstrations that are
held regularly to support government management. This is illegal
because political activism in the public administration is prohibited
by the National Constitution. Employees who do not attend these events
may be administratively punished for not being considered for
promotions and salary increases, or they can be dismissed from their
positions by being considered political opponents of the government.

Almost 50% of all households have reduced their
family nucleus due to the migration of people to other countries to
seek better living conditions. The absence of 5 million migrants (which
is increasing) makes family celebrations of birthdays, Christmas or the
arrival of the new year, sad or depressing occasions.

The
Origin:Most
political
leaders in underdeveloped countries, as Venezuela, hide their
irresponsibility, ineptitude to properly exercise their governmental
functions, blaming neoliberalism for the lack of opportunities for
their countries. But the real problem centers on corruption and the
inappropriate economic policies adopted by these governments, which
nullify the efficient, adequate and effective exploitation of the
potential and natural wealth available in these countries. The
limited average educational level of the population influences the
belief or widespread acceptance of this lie or distorted truth of
politicians. This becomes a deep-rooted belief, which generates undue
and intense prejudices towards rich countries. The reality indicates
that the rulers with their petty personal interests, with their petty
personal interests and incoherent or absurd economic, social and
educational policies, are to blame for having sunk their countries in
extreme degrees of poverty, limiting the options and living
conditions of millions of people.

The
governments in
Venezuela in the last twenty years have repeatedly argued that the
poverty and misery is the fault of the rich nations. Unfortunately,
this absurd statement seems to have been accepted as an indisputable
truth, by a large part of the low-income and poorly educated
population. But when reviewing some behaviors and attitudes of
citizens, it is enough to understand that much of the blame for
poverty and loss of well-being, is not due to external factors. The
perverse combination of ineptitude, irresponsibility and corruption
of governments, and the educational and cultural deficiencies of
citizens, create ideal conditions to stimulate economic backwardness.
The inadequate cultural attitude of a large part of the population is
reflected in pessimistic, passive or negative behaviors that lead
them to limit their educational, labor or productive behaviors and
efforts. Because they are convinced that rich countries will not give
them opportunities to overcome underdevelopment and poverty.

Everything
seems to
indicate that the erroneous behavior of a large part of the
population of Venezuela has been the substantive causes of poverty
and the problems that exist. The society as a whole has not
effectively and timely claimed the mistakes, clumsiness and failures
of governments in the proper management and redistribution of wealth.
Additionally, the inefficient educational system and the weak
transmission of family values to the new generations, have prevented
structuring an adequate social articulation and caused the loss of
competitiveness of the country and of individuals. This has limited
the ability to visualize and materialize efficient, competitive,
proactive and productive skills; thus hindering economic development
and keeping the country in comparatively disadvantageous conditions.
For this reason, it is foreseeable to consider that the inconvenient
structure and interrelation of Venezuelan society, explains the great
number of problems that the country is going through, despite having
vast mineral, energy and natural wealth. To understand the context of
the economic and social crisis in Venezuela, it is convenient to
describe some situations that, although they may seem illogical,
unreal or unjustifiable in other countries, fully explain the reasons
for the comparative deficiencies and disadvantages suffered by
Venezuelan society:

Monetary
anarchy:The
thunderous
failure of the government's economic policy has driven a devastating
hyperinflationary process, reflecting the Venezuelan economy
inflation rates of: 19,906.0% in 2019, 65,374.0% in 2018, 438.1% in
2017, 255.0 in 2016, 121.7% in 2015 and 62.2% in 2014. This has
totally eroded the purchasing power of the national currency, the
Bolivar, which has undergone several monetary reconversion processes
eliminating eight zeros at face value . Consequently, most private
companies agree their transactions in dollars, given the low value
and purchasing power of the Bolivar. This has meant a great social
and economic imbalance for the population, since approximately 80% of
the country's workers are public employees and their salaries are not
paid in dollars.

Criminal
Activity:The
great economic
depression that has caused hyperinflation and the extensive lack of
ethics that exists in companies and government offices, law
enforcement agencies and courts, has generated a substantial increase
in criminal activities related to kidnapping, smuggling of products,
bets Illicit, production and consumption of drugs as well as money
laundering. This can be seen in the large number of criminal gangs
that act with impunity in the main cities and towns of the country,
the hundreds of high-end vehicles that circulate throughout the
country, the purchase of numerous super-luxury mansions, as well as
the construction of thousands of shopping centers and office
buildings throughout the country.

The
intense economic depression caused by hyperinflation, poverty, the
contraction of the gross domestic product, the lack of ethics and
morals that exist in many businesses, as well as the widespread
corruption in ministries, state enterprises, police forces and
courts; has generated a substantial increase in criminal activities
of all kinds. Illegal gambling, robbery, contract killings,
kidnappings, smuggling of products, drug consumption, as well as
money laundering; are recurrent activities of numerous mafia gangs
that act in the daddy, with absolute freedom, impunity and without
effective opposition from the police. It is easy to notice in the
main cities of the country hundreds of vans and high-end vehicles
circulating all over the country, as well as innumerable yachts and
luxury boats in private urbanizations with access to marine coasts.
Similarly, there has been a notable increase in the construction of
super luxury mansions and apartments, as well as shopping centers,
restaurants and nightclubs. All of this is obviously a contradiction
in terms in a country that has been plunged into one of the worst
economic crises in its history.

Passenger
Transportation Systems:The
passenger
transportation service does not have the capacity to meet the
increased demand of users who cannot use their own vehicles
(hyperinflation has caused strong increases in the prices of spare
parts, maintenance and repair of vehicles) this condition has had a
strong impact not only on the owners of private vehicles, but also on
the collective transport of passengers, which has affected service
efficiency. This has also been exacerbated by the large number of
buses that are out of service, due to lack of spare parts or
maintenance.

In
the case of
transport systems by trains or subway, the notable increase in users
has collapsed such means, which operate in a chaotic, insecure and
messy way. For this situation it is common that: a) Many passengers
risk their lives traveling between the trains (in the railroad
junctions), b) There are frequent discussions, fights and physical
confrontations between users to enter or exit trains, c) The absence
of cops causes frequent theft of cell phones, briefcases, packages or
backpacks at stations and trains, d) Large amounts of garbage and
waste affect stations and wagons, as there are no containers or
cleaning staff, e) The lack of air conditioning and ventilation in
trains and stations affects the large number of users, causing
frequent fainting or affliction, f) The external facilities of the
stations are used informally as bathrooms, because many of the
existing ones are out of service, g) It is very common that there are
failures and delays in trains due to the frequent theft of cables and
electrical equipment that occur at stations and railways.

Currently,
freight trucks are used as means of transporting people. This results
in a very high risk of safety and discomfort for the people who use
them, especially children, the elderly or women. This has caused
frequent fatal accidents when these transport units collide or roll
over. The
inefficiency of transport systems affects the mobility of many users
and especially with regard to frequency and punctuality. The
situation is so critical that in many government offices, workers are
allowed to attend their jobs only two or three days a week. This
delays processes and functions in public offices and therefore
attention to citizens.

Hospitals
and
Medicines:In
the health sector
the situation is chaos, due to the poor situation of public
hospitals, the absence of social protection policies and disease
prevention, the almost non-existent production of medicines and
medical supplies, as well as the intense migration of doctors to
other countries because of the low salaries that accrue in the
country. Additionally, the inadequate or erroneous economic and
educational policies applied by governments in the last twenty years
have generated the increase in poverty and misery of a large part of
the population, which has negatively impacted food and health,
causing increase in diseases and conditions that intensely demand
urgent medical attention. All this has generated a situation of
social emergency, which even at the international level, is
considered ahumanitarian crisis.

Additionally,
the
substantive increases that have reflected the costs of medical care
in private clinics have had a negative impact on the well-being of
the population. This has caused: a) A large part of the population
cannot buy medicines or access private medical services; b) Insurance
policies are insufficient or extremely expensive, to cover the value
of any medical treatment; c) Hospitals have no capacity to attend to
the increasing number of people who require their services. In
summary, the complicated and extreme situation of public hospitals
can be characterized as follows:

People who require medical attention should wait an
average of five months to be examined by doctors. Even in emergencies,
patients are only admitted when there are unoccupied beds.

Hospitals do not have laboratory services for
examinations, x-rays, MRIs, etc., so only patients with sufficient
financial capacity can assume the costs of these services from the
private sector.

Very few surgical interventions are performed
because most operating rooms and intensive care units do not work, due
to equipment breakdowns or because the facilities are contaminated, all
of which generate an extremely high mortality rate.

Budget deficits cause limitations in the provision
of cleaning and disinfection materials, which spreads infections. This
aggravates the mortality rate, decreases the chances of recovery of the
sick and even and compromises the well-being of family members and the
doctors and nurses themselves.
Nurses and other
auxiliary personnel, frequently
resort to strikes and protests to demand better salaries.

The severe shortage of medicines has created a
large black market for medicines, which especially affects the poor
since their cost can exceed five or six times normal. The inability,
ignorance or corruption of government officials has made it more
difficult to find a solution to this problem. In the case of medicines
for serious diseases, the situation is extreme because it is not even
possible to obtain them on the black market.

Traffic
Chaos:It
could be said
that the degree of people's respect for elementary social norms, such
as traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, is an indication of the
degree of culture and awareness of the citizens of any country. When
people break something as simple as traffic regulations, it is
foreseeable to think that individuals are educated, conditioned or
used to disorder or disrespect the rights of others. When this is
also accompanied by a lack of corrective action by the authorities to
demand compliance with laws or regulations, the situation can be
considered an anarchic, disorderly and antisocial behavior. In
Venezuela it is common for citizens to violate traffic laws and
regulations. Therefore, it is considered an abnormal or exceptional
fact that people respect traffic signs, to the point that they are
ironically considered an "endangered species". The
generalized behaviors that can be observed in streets and avenues can
be summarized as follows:

Red traffic lights are no guarantee that
pedestrians will cross streets and avenues safely, as drivers of
vehicles generally do not pay attention to such a signal.

Motorcyclists drive in the opposite direction
through streets and avenues and even drive along sidewalks and
pedestrian boulevards. Many of them do not wear helmets so many doctors
claim, in a sarcastic tone, that they are potential organ donors.

Buses do not use demarcated sites as stops to take
or leave passengers, so it is normal to do so elsewhere.

Pedestrians generally cross streets and avenues
without respecting pedestrian signs or crossings. In addition, a stupid
macho complex tends to instill in men the habit of crossing streets or
avenues without respecting or verifying that the traffic light allows
it. Doing this is accepted as an unequivocal sign of masculinity, which
is recognized or admired by other men.

Cops do not supervise compliance with traffic rules
or signs. This stimulates carelessness or disorder in the citizens,
since they consider that disrespecting the laws or traffic signs will
not generate punishment, fines or sanctions. On the other hand, the
level of corruption in the police force is so intense that when they
detect infractions, they chatter with those who prefer to pay them
because it is cheaper than legal fines.

Electric
Blackouts:The
frequent and
intense blackouts in the cities and towns of the country, have
generated a negative metamorphosis in the customs and behavior of the
citizens, altering the normality of the rhythm of life. This
deficiency in the electrical service, added to the worries and
anxieties caused by the hyperinflation and the economic stagnation,
limits and influences negatively in the activities of a great part of
the population; adding frustration, sadness and hopelessness. Some of
these annoyances and difficulties can be summarized as follows:

When electricity is restored and water pumps
restart, families organize to go shopping, clean homes, store water,
take baths, recharge cell phones and reconnect to the Internet; all of
which profoundly alter schedules and carrying out any other personal or
family activity.

Parties, celebrations and gatherings of family or
friends cannot take place, because it is not known when the power
supply will be interrupted and how long the blackout will last. Many
celebrations end abruptly when frequent outages occur.

Flashlights, batteries and candles have become
highly demanded products and their prices have risen to unattainable
levels for most.

In the offices, it is common for activities to be
delayed and processes carried out on computers are lost, as a result of
frequent interruptions of the electricity service, since a large number
of companies do not have their own power generation plants.

Large numbers of people have chosen to reduce the
purchase of food that requires refrigeration, to avoid being damaged by
frequent blackouts and not having portable power generation plants.
This has gradually increased nutritional problems, especially in
children and elderly people.

Many people have lost appliances and electronic
equipment such as computers and televisions, which have been burned
when strong power surges occur in the moments when the electrical fluid
is restored. This causes a deficiency in the quality of life of
families, given the great economic difficulty to replace or repair
these equipment.

People
feel helpless
and totally hopeless from the daily occurrence of blackouts that
gradually affect well-being and worsen the quality of life, and find
no response from the government for their claims. When blackouts
occur that frequently affect large cities and towns in the country,
the government never assumes responsibility for these failures and
always claims that they are caused by sabotages by political
opponents or the government of the Unites States.

Unfair
Tax
System: The
country's tax
system is socially unjust towards employees and pensioners, since tax
payments made by companies are considered expenses for the purpose of
determining the prices of goods and services sold to consumers.
Therefore, the weight of tax contributions in the country is
unbalanced, since workers and pensioners pay their own taxes and
indirectly assume those corresponding to companies. This causes
entrepreneurs to never really care about tax rate increases, because
they pass them on to product prices so their profits are not
affected. The tax regulator, due to ignorance or corruption, never
reviews the composition of the operational costs of the companies, so
that the transfer of these expenses to the consumers is a recurrent,
safe and generalized practice in the entrepreneurs.

Citizen
Behavior:The
behaviors
observed in citizens (apathy, resignation, neglect and disobedience
to laws and regulations) seem to be generated by pessimism and
despair in the face of the difficult economic situation facing
Venezuela. In addition, the lack of interest and inability of
government authorities to improve the situation or solve problems of
efficiency of public services, generate incentives to reinforce
negative behaviors of citizens. This is incorrect and morally
unacceptable, especially when people complain about governments that
fail to keep their promises or solve problems. This behavior is a
simple demonstration of ignorance, devaluation and little moral
conscience, since people tend to criticize or complain about what
affects them, but refuse to comply with the laws and contribute to
the social order.

Venezuelan
society
is deeply disarticulated and unbalanced. The middle class is being
minimized by the effect of the economic crisis that is moving
millions of households into poverty. In contrast, the upper class is
gradually concentrating greater wealth, power and privileges. This
social disarticulation is exacerbated by the enormous population mass
in a situation of misery and devoid of knowledge and technical skills
required, to take on the complicated challenges of global
competitiveness. All this implies a great absence of positive social
mobility, since the extremes (especially the lower class) are
concentrating the largest proportion of the population, with the
negative implication that this entails in relation to the fair
distribution of wealth and well-being.

As
venezuelans we
are to blame for not requiring governments to solve the problems and
conditions that keep us in poverty. Our behavior has shown
indifference and negligence in the performance of our duties, as well
as irresponsibility and disregard for compliance with norms for
ordering social behavior. Personally, I believe that the fault of all
this is ours and it makes no sense to try to justify ourselves by
blaming other countries for our own incapacity and lack of will. We
simply have not been able to change a series of paradigms and defects
in our education and attitudes, which unfortunately negatively
condition our thinking and behavior. In fact, it can be affirmed that
our actions and thoughts, consciously or not, indicate the following:

We try to deny our inescapable reality and do not
accept the criticisms that originate in other countries, especially
when they emphasize the inadequacy of economic, social and educational
policies that have led us to poverty, backwardness and loss of
competitiveness.

We get angry and blame rich countries when they
categorize us with stereotypes of poverty, informality,
irresponsibility and disorder (as Hollywood movies generally suggest).

We try to hide our irresponsibility and lack of
objectivity and will, with empty excuses to justify not having solved
the economic and social problems that we ourselves have created or
stimulated.

We show an obsolete nationalist pride in the face
of criticism from other countries, which does not allow us to
appreciate our limitations, disadvantages and weaknesses in education
and social order, as well as in the causes of the inadequate and
inefficient functioning of public institutions and services.

We prefer to express our anger and claim against
the rich countries, rather than against ourselves and our rulers, for
the ineptitude, corruption, deceit and mistakes that have been
repeatedly made in the economy and society.

We reinforce an incoherent national pride, which
makes us believe that we do not need the help or advice of other
countries to overcome some of the problems we face.

We tend not to claim or pressure the rulers for
their responsibility in generating many problems, because we have
assumed and accepted their arguments and excuses that rich countries
are to blame for our poverty and underdevelopment.

Much of the lower class has assumed
underdevelopment and poverty as a way of life, which has shaped their
passive and pessimistic behavior, which affects their productivity and
generates a heavy social burden.

The lack of financial resources allocated to
research in universities has made the teaching model developed obsolete
and lacking in innovation and competitiveness with respect to modern
forms of learning.

The instructional scheme at all educational levels
instills linear thinking, which prevents students from developing
creative, critical or lateral thinking skills; which limits his
intellectual development and analytical skills.

The lower social class seems to be educated to
consider the accumulation of wealth as the fundamental purpose of life,
instead of considering that material progress is not the ultimate goal
but the means to develop and achieve well-being.

All
this seems to
indicate that citizens are primarily responsible for the economic
underdevelopment and poverty that our country suffers. Unfortunately,
an intense, recurring and absurd nationalist pride has prevented us
from facing or accepting this reality and adopting the necessary
solutions to improve our situation. This can be summarized as the
perverse combination of a series of negative attitudes:

Citizens do not strongly protest the failure of
economic policies or the inefficiency of public services, because they
do not believe they can be improved since they have accepted the
excuses and justifications of the rulers. Historically, public services
in the country have been limited, inefficient and problematic, so it is
difficult to assume or believe, that at some point they can improve and
fully meet the needs and expectations of users.

Attitudes of acceptance, resignation and pessimism
in the face of underdevelopment and poverty, are transmitted
involuntarily from parents to children, which makes it difficult to
induce new ways of thinking, unless profound changes in the structure
of the education system are induced.

The selfish and irresponsible attitude of
politicians has not changed in many years. They only show an apparent
interest in the country's problems when they are in electoral
campaigns. But once they win the elections, they forget what was
promised and justify their inefficiency using the well-known criterion
that it is difficult to overcome underdevelopment and poverty, because
rich countries are responsible for it.

Economic underdevelopment and poverty for so many
years seems to have nullified the ability of much of the population to
analyse and think critically, objectively and positively. Poor
education and training seem to reinforce the idea that none of us is
responsible for these problems.

For many years, politicians have persistently
disappointed citizens and taken inappropriate measures that lead to
greater problems and imbalances. However, much of the population
continues to trust them under the belief or hope, that at some point,
some politician will stop cheating people, keep his promises and can
solve the country's problems.

Remarkable
weaknesses:The
actions of
recent governments have been disastrous because instead of regulating
the economy, effectively managing the nation's assets and promoting
the fair distribution of income, they have engaged in clumsily
intervening in almost all economic activities. They have been
transformed from a ruler to a useless, inefficient and incapable
businessman. Government enterprises have become the most powerful in
the country's economic system (in terms of the magnitude and scope of
their activity), but they are also the most disastrous, inefficient,
corrupt and disjointed, in relation to the central objective of
promoting welfare from the country. With this governmental vision, it
is difficult to overcome poverty, because the government with its
overwhelming power has decoupled itself from its regulatory role of
the economy, becoming an entity that incompetently affects, disrupts
and monopolizes most of the country's economic activities. It could
be said that the government has stubbornly insisted on doing what it
should not do, and on not doing what it should.

Unfortunately
we are
a sick society, characterized by the absence of adequate regulatory
structures and by living in a permanent state of need and urgency. We
are a country with no capacity to compete with any other nation,
despite having vast and valuable natural resources. A large part of
the population reflects little respect for laws and authorities.
There are social groups with increasing economic and political
privileges that only seek to maximize their power, influence and
profits, taking advantage of the weaknesses and needs of a large part
of the population. The government's regulatory inability is evident
as well as its notable lack of will and efficiency to implement
effective and coherent policies that generate the desired social and
economic order. All this has caused great despair and concern in the
population and has generated intense economic inequality, which in
practice has nullified almost all the social and economic rights of
the citizens who make up the middle and lower social classes.

The
country's
economy is structurally disadvantageous, inefficient and implicitly
recessive. It depends mainly on the export of oil and the importation
of all kinds of products that are not produced internally. This
situation is inadequate and harmful, since the export earnings of raw
materials (such as oil) are always lower than the import costs of
finished products. This generates financial deficits and recurring
depressions, which must be covered by external indebtedness that
entails high financial costs. These conditions have damaged the
country's economic growth potential, have affected national savings,
cyclically stimulating the increase in poverty, technological
backwardness and economic and financial dependence on international
markets.

The
economic crisis
suffered by Venezuela for years has increased the level of poverty of
the population and the gap between rich and poor. The selfishness of
the social class that concentrates the greatest power and economic
wealth, seems to suggest that it is indifferent to the growing needs
and misery of the growing population in a state of poverty. Their
help is limited to making some subsistence contributions, which
generally do not produce substantial changes in the welfare or
improvement of the situation of those who are excluded from the aid
and opportunities. On the other hand, large private companies have
reflected hypocritical positions with regard to social assistance.
Although they make aid contributions, these expenses generate
economic benefits by being deductible from the tax. It is painful to
think that reality seems to indicate that compassion and solidarity
towards the needy are not important moral values for those who have
managed to accumulate great economic wealth in the country. It seems
that for the high social class of our country, solidarity, mercy,
altruism and generosity towards the poor are irrelevant human values.

Governments
in the
last 20 years have been responsible for much of the serious economic
problems suffered on a recurring basis. Its inability and
incompetence to take appropriate measures to improve the economy has
generated a series of inadequate conditions that have stimulated
poverty, backwardness and loss of the population's quality of life.
Additionally, the intense corruption has generated intense
concentration and accumulation of wealth in few hands, creating a
growing and extreme difference between rich and poor. The disastrous
consequences of these situations, including the growing social
tension, have not yet been adequately assessed by governments, as
they continue to express their irresponsibility for these problems.
Their clumsiness prevents them from appreciating that their political
management model is exhausted, and that the middle and lower social
classes are tired of their excuses, being the segments of the
population that have lost the greatest well-being due to the
country's recurring economic problems.

The
huge fiscal
deficit, the decrease in international reserves, the exorbitant
external debt, the increase in unemployment and hyperinflation, are
destroying the fundamentals of the country's economic system, so it
is practically turning it into a war economy. All this drastically
reduces the chances of achieving economic development and improving
the well-being of the population. It seems that only an extraordinary
event could reverse this critical economic condition. However, it is
essential that at some point there is a positive and intense change
in the attitude of citizens. We must be aware of our failures and
inefficiencies and accept the obligation to develop or materialize a
profound effort to achieve the improvement of the country. A first
step is to assume our duty to comply with laws and regulations, to
have the moral authority to complain to the rulers their failures,
deficiencies and irregularities.Perhaps
the most
surprising aspect of the crisis facing the country is the remarkable
and inexplicable passive and indifferent attitude adopted by the
majority of the population. This could be called learned or adopted
hopelessness, as it is believed that the situation cannot improve
and, therefore, it is not worth trying or taking any action to try to
improve. It seems that people's thinking is identified with the
belief that the effort is not worth it, because nothing will change
or improve. This complacency or negativism of the population
represents an advantage for the rulers, who maintain their
comfortable position of not assuming responsibility for the economic
disaster and continue to blame the rich countries for all our
problems.

Conclusions:The
economic and
social conditions of our country are very difficult and limit the
opportunities and well-being of people. Among these conditions, which
due to their recurrence can be considered structural and not
temporary, the following can be mentioned:

Salaries and pensions are usually low, so active
workers and pensioners do not have many options and opportunities to
obtain economic and social welfare.

The lack of education and training of a large part
of the population leads to the violation of the basic laws that
regulate the social order, so that the existence of people's rights and
duties becomes a simple theoretical exercise. This is complicated by
the incompetence of the authorities to demand compliance with the laws,
resulting in great social confusion.

Economic activities are not properly regulated, so
many companies exercise dominant and speculative actions in the
markets, which damage the economy, make competitiveness disappear and
generate intense imbalances between consumers and producers.

Governments do not assume that they are elected to
work for and on behalf of citizens. Their actions are generally
identified with the exploitation of power and the achievement of
privileges. Politicians do not assume responsibility for their
failures, clumsiness or inability to maintain or increase the social
and economic welfare of the country.

The proper functioning of public services,
especially with regard to social security, are not priority elements or
conditions for governments, and citizens are generally unprotected or
disadvantaged by the recurrent failure of government management.

Rulers generally show misuse of the power conferred
upon them by citizens, concentrating on achieving personal privileges
and benefits. Corruption and administrative crimes are notable and
recurring, but they are almost never punished.

Politicians allude to not being responsible for
their failures, clumsiness or inability to maintain social and economic
well-being, because external factors prevent it (rich countries).
Incredibly, the proper functioning of public services, especially those
related to electricity, water and social security, are not priority
elements or conditions for governments.

Citizens do not have formal means or processes to
claim the lack of protection or affectation due to the incorrect
functioning of public services. Nor in the face of undue actions by
governments that affect the reasonableness and fair value of economic
activities.

Educational programs in primary and secondary
schools are not updated with respect to global trends in the
improvement of knowledge transmission techniques. In addition, teachers
are paid very low salaries, which discourages effort, quality and
interest in providing adequate and competitive education to students.

Although there are free public universities, this
has not been a competitive advantage in relation to other countries.
The limited budgets allocated by the government to these institutions
do not allow the development of effective research programs, nor pay
attractive salaries to teachers. This has generated that these
universities are deeply inefficient institutions in the transmission of
wisdom, training and skills.

In the low social stratum, it is not traditional
for new generations to obtain adequate professional education, which
negatively influences their potential for economic progress and the
improvement of their well-being.

It is important to strengthen the social structure
by transmitting quality education and training to the new generations,
based on strong ethical and moral principles, as well as respect for
others.

Many years living in poverty and lack of
opportunities has caused many people to be conformist. The deficiency
in the functioning of public services seems to be a structural
condition, and expecting it to improve seems like a dream. But the only
way to achieve the improvement of things is for citizens to make the
claim, but it must be done ethically to avoid mockery and disrespect
from the rulers.

Despair has caused many to believe that even
working and studying, they will never achieve comfort and economic
well-being. Although this thinking scheme can be a hard barrier to
overcome, it is important that people do not limit their efforts since
honest work and good academic preparation are true and recognizable
achievements.

The moral authority of the citizen originates when
he behaves ethically and politely, and when he fulfills his obligations
and respects the laws and others. This generates the right and capacity
of citizens to demand that the rulers fulfill their functions, solve
the problems and promote the economic improvement of the country. When
this is multiplied in the attitude of many citizens, a society with
sufficient ethical and moral authority is achieved, which can claim and
demand their rights.

It is necessary to accept and intensify the idea
that the rulers are our employees, since we choose them to perform a
very important task for society. If they do not, and abuse our trust,
presenting excuses that hide their incapacity, irresponsibility or
corruption, we must properly claim and punish them through a fair legal
system.

It is true that business activity is essential for
economic growth in any country. But the activities of companies must be
properly regulated and controlled, to avoid abuse and dominant
positions against the rights of consumers. Arrogance, power and greed,
tend to dominate entrepreneurs, forgetting respect for human beings and
society.

The regulation of economic activities by the
government is a fundamental element for the social order. The
government must ensure the achievement of a fair and rational balance
in the functioning of markets and institutions. The objective of all
this is to achieve an equitable distribution of wealth and generate the
highest degree of economic and social well-being. In any circumstance,
the economy must be at the service of man and society, and not vice
versa.

Douglas
Camacho is a
venezuelan economist with more than thirty years of professional
practice in the areas of hydrocarbon regulation, financial
institution analysis and money laundering forensics. He has also been
a university professor.